Women's Track & Field

PORTER ADVANCES TO NCAA EAST SEMIFINALS WITH RECORD-BREAKING DASH

GREENSBORO, N.C. – A record-breaking run in the NCAA East Preliminary Round would excite pretty much everyone. Sophomore Kiara Porter isn't everyone as she has bigger goals in mind: The NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Porter took the first step towards a berth into the NCAA Championships by blistering the track for a heat-winning time of 52.41. She shattered her own school record of 53.07, which she set during last year's outdoor season. Her time was the fourth-best of the day.

The Yorktown, Va. native now advances to Friday's NCAA East Semifinals, where the top-27 finishers from Thursday will lace them up for a trip to the NCAA Championships. The top-12 will advance to Eugene.

Just two other VCU females have ever earned trips to the NCAA Championships on the track, Beth Green (1997) and Maria Elena Calle (1999, 2000, 2001).

With Porter's teammate Jaleesa Williams already having booked a spot, history is on the line as the Rams have never sent two females to the NCAA Championships in the same year.

The NCAA East Semifinals of the 400-meter is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday evening in Greensboro.